worship, Babalu Aye (also known as Omolu, Shonponno, Obaluaye, Shakpana, Sakpata) is the spirit of illness and disease. He is an Orisha, the son of Yemaja., in certain places he is known to be the son of Nana Omolu, the Fon deity added to the Yoruba pantheon, and associated with Female power and creation. Babalu Aye is also known in Brazil as Obalu Aye. Omolu means the father of this Earth or the king of this Earth, because of his great powers detailed in many Odu Ifa. He is known as the deity associated with insanity, aging, illness, disease and death, but is also the deity that cures same. He is appeased on the earth and cool water is one of the mainstays of his appeasement. The origins of this deity trace back to the Fon traditions of Yoruba mythology, and appear in Cuban Palo Mayombe (as Pata en Llaga or Cobayende), Haitian Voodoo, Brazilian Umbanda (as Abaluai^e), and Candombl'e Ketu (as Obaluaiy^e). In Cuban Santeria, Babalu Aye has been syncretized with Saint Lazarus, and is regarded as particularly miraculous. On its festivity, December 17, tens of thousands of devouts gather in pilgrimage to the shrine of El Rinc'on, in the outskirts of Santiago de Las Vegas, Havana, to pay gratitude for his miracles. In Dahomey mythology, he is venerated as Sakpata, god of smallpox. In this respect, he can be compared with Sitala or Mariamman, both Hindu goddesses of smallpox and disease or the Sumerian god Pazuzu(god of winds and plagues). Though originally associated with smallpox, many of today's worshippers appeal to BabaluAye for healing from HIV/AIDS. Babalu Aye is traditionally pictured in blue, brown, red, white, purple, and is offered rice, wheat, corn, beans, chickpeas, garlic, onions, smoked fish and possum in divination rituals.

THIS IS THE HAWAIIAN SYMBOL KNOWN AS ULI-NANA-PONO WHICH MEANS: "RIGHT, PEACEFUL SERENE FLAME." WHEN THIS SYMBOL IS USED IN MEDITATION, ULI RESPONDS AND SENDS HER CALM, CENTERED ENERGY TO CLEAR THE CONDITION. THIS IS THE HIGHEST SYMBOL OF THE GODDESS ULI WHO ACCORDING TO BECKWITH IN HAWAIIAN MYTHOLOGY, IS "THE GODDESS OF SORCERY"."

Uli is the Hawaiian Sacred Mother of creation; She is the wife of the Creator god, "Kane". Her name means "any dark color, to steer, and omen. "SHE REPRESENTS THE FEMALE GENERATIVE FORCE OF CREATION AND IS REFERRED TO AS THE GODDESS OF THE SUN. IT WAS "ULI" WHO DIRECTED THE LIVING WATERS THAT FLOWED IN THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO THE WOMEN OF THE EARTH; HENCE, SHE IS CALLED THE 'BIRTHER' OF SELF, AND IT IS BY HER EXAMPLE OF SELF-CREATION THAT WE CAN BE EMPOWERED TO CREATE OURSELVES EXACTLY AS WE SO DESIRE.

"ULI" WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT DEITY IN THE ANCIENT HAWAIIAN PANTHEON FOR SHE WAS MOTHER OF ALL OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES, OUR" SPIRITUAL HEAVENLY MOTHER", THE MOTHER OF US ALL. THE ANCIENTS ALSO SAW "ULI "AS THE GODDESS WHO PERCEIVED EVERYTHING AND USED HER ALL-SEEING EYE TO KNOW WHAT RESTED WITHIN THE HEARTS OF ORDINARY MEN. AS A RESULT, SHE WAS ALSO KNOWN AS A GODDESS OF MAGIC AND SORCERY. SHE WAS A "KAHUNA" (SORCERESS, MAGICIAN) WHO COULD SEE INTO THE FUTURE, AND HER POWERS WERE LEGENDARY THROUGHOUT THE ISLANDS. SHE IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH A KNOWLEDGE OF HEALING.

It is said that "Uli" still resides in the "Celestial Realm of Lani ULI..."HER HOME LONG BEFORE THE EARTH EXISTED APART FROM THE SUN. THE "KAHUNA" OF OLD HAWAII, THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO PENETRATE THE THIN VEILS THAT SHIELD LIFE IN THE CELESTIAL REALM ENVISIONED HER AS A RESPLENDENT FIGURE BATHED IN A BLUISH-WHITE AURA THAT OUTSHONE EVEN THE BLUEST STAR. THEREFORE, THEY WERE THE GUARDIANS OF THE ANCIENT LINEAGE "ULI", AS WELL AS CARETAKERS OF THE ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE, AND FOR A LONG TIME, THESE CAREFULLY GUARDED SECRETS WERE IN THE HANDS OF ONLY THE MOST HIGH PRIESTS AND SEERS. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF "ULI" GRADUALLY WENT UNDERGROUND, AND THE BALANCE WAS UPSET. NOW, HOWEVER, THE ENERGY OF "ULI" IS RETURNING AS SHE IS ONCE AGAIN COMING FORTH TO FACILITATE THE REMEMBERING OF THIS ANCIENT WISDOM AND TO BESTOW HER BLESSINGS ON ALL THOSE WHO TURN TO HER.

THE "KAHUNAS" BELIEVED STRONGLY IN HOURS OF MEDITATION AND BREATHWORK BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH PRAYERS TO THE "AUMAKUA" OR HIGHER SELF, WITH SUCH TECHNIQUES FACILITATING THE INDIVIDUAL TO PERFORM HEALING OR TO CHANGE THE FABRIC OF THE FUTURE. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO PRAYER, AFFIRMATIONS, OR WHATEVER FORM OF MANIFESTATION ONE BELIEVES IN...EXCEPT HERE WE FIND A GREATER EMPHASIS ON UNITING THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF SELF THE LOWER, CONSCIOUS, SUBCONSCIOUS AND HIGHER SELVES - TO FACILITATE MANIFESTATION. WHEN YOU MEDITATE ON "ULIS" SYMBOL AND INVOKE HER NAME AND YOU SHOULD FEEL THE UNIVERSAL LIFE FORCE ENTER THROUGH THE CROWN.